Odor absorber and display device

ABSTRACT

An odor absorber with a display device having an odor adsorbent cake, an odor absorbent cake retaining assembly, a portable power source and a cake retainer cover that includes an electronic display. One various embodiment includes the electronic display being enclosed in a water resistant enclosure.

PRIORITY

This application hereby claims priority to provisional patentapplication Ser. No. 60/854,387, filed on Oct. 25, 2006.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention is generally related to an odor absorber urinal device andmore particularly relates to an improved odor absorber urinal devicewhich contains an alphanumeric, digital, electronic or video, low powerdisplay. One purpose of the urinal device is to display advertisements,amber alerts, public service announcements and other similar informationto a urinal user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Public urinals can become undesirable from odor if no odor absorbingmaterials are used. Odor absorbing devices are currently found in mostpublic urinals. They are traditionally made of a plastic base plate andan integral raised circular wall capable or retaining a standard odorabsorbing cake.

Existing odor absorbing devices for urinals, however, do not have aninteresting and enjoyable means to provide an incentive for the user toview the urinal cake. Additionally, existing odor absorbing devices donot have a means for an alphanumeric, electronic, video or digitaldisplay to be removeably attached thereto.

Most urinal cakes are currently held within a cake holder that is madeof molded plastic where the cake is retained in a well and is coveredwith a screened cover. U.S. Pat. No. 6,823,533 discloses a way toinclude an advertising panel on the cake cover so that the user of theurinal can be educated and entertained while urinating. However, thispatent does not include a way to easily and instantly update informationshown on an advertising display panel without physically removing theadvertising panel and replacing it with a new one.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an odor absorbing anddisplay device that includes a means for an alphanumeric, electronic,video or digital display to be affixed thereto, to display a message,video or advertisement to a urinal user.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an easilydecipherable alphanumeric, electronic, video or digital displaycontaining real time messages, such as but not limited to,advertisements.

Still another object of the present invention is to combine a radio datasystem (RDS) receiver and a WI-FI receiver within or on an odorabsorbing and display device. The odor absorbing and display device ofthe present invention is situated such that it can receive signals froman RDS receiver and/or a WI-FI access point. The RDS and WI-FI signalstransmit data to the odor absorbing and display device.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a back-endapplication server which provides database management for potentialusers containing the message(s) they wish to display on the odorabsorbing and display device. The application server is preferablyInternet based and provides the ability to modify the message contentsfrom anywhere that the Internet can be accessed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an odor absorbingdevice for a urinal that includes an electronic display portion so thatusers can watch real-time advertisements, amber alerts, public serviceannouncements, or other information while urinating.

Another object of the invention is to provide an odor absorbing devicefor a urinal that includes a method to receive transmissions ofelectronic data from a remote location.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following descriptions, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, anembodiment of the present invention is disclosed.

In accordance with one various embodiment of the present invention,there is disclosed a combination odor absorber and display devicecomprising: an odor absorbent cake, an odor absorbent cake retainingassembly, a portable power source, and a odor absorbent cake retainercover that includes an electronic, video or digital display.

In accordance another various embodiment of the present invention, thereis disclosed an odor absorber and display device for a urinal comprisingan odor absorbing cake retaining device, the device includes a flexiblebase plate and an integral raised, a circular cake retaining wall, astandard odor absorbing cake, an alphanumeric, electronic, video ordigital display panel removeably and replaceably attached to the top ofthe odor absorbing cake for displaying a message to a urinal user, thebase plate and the lower portion of the retaining wall have a pluralityof apertures to allow the cake to be effective, and the circularretaining wall has a non perforated upper portion. The retaining wallhas an inwardly facing ledge integrally attached to the top surface ofthe retaining wall and said base plate has a frame member capable ofremoveably retaining an advertising display.

The odor absorber and display device has the ability to display a signalon an alphanumeric, electronic, digital, video or like display locatedon the device. The signal for the display is preferably received througha radio frequency (RF) transmission or similar wireless means. The RFtransmission is preferably Wi-Fi, and/or a sub carrier of the FM radiotransmission system, known as RDS. The transmission system has theability to switch between RDS and WI-FI modes as a means of faulttolerance or via the user's command. Internal components of the displaysystem cause it to switch between modes when one of the signals is nottransmitting properly. Optionally, the system can be switched from onetransmission mode to another remotely.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings constitute a part of this specification and includeexemplary embodiments to the present invention, which may be embodied invarious forms. It is to be understood that in some instances variousaspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged tofacilitate an understanding of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side section view of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

Detailed descriptions of the various embodiments of the presentinvention are provided herein. It is to be understood, however, that thepresent invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specificdetails disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, butrather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis forteaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention invirtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or manner.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a perspective view of the odor absorbing anddisplay device 100 is shown. A urinal cake holder 12 made of flexibleplastic and is sized in such a way that it fits comfortably at the baseof a standard urinal. The side walls of holder 12 have perforations 18that permit the odor absorbing capabilities of the cake 14 stored withinthe holder 12 to be easily accessed from the urinal environment.Additional slots 16 on the base plate of the urinal cake holder 12 allowfor easy flow of urine to the urinal drain. Optionally, holder 12 caninclude a frame member that can optionally retain a removeable printedpanel that can include the name of a sponsoring company or likeadvertisement.

In a preferred embodiment of the odor absorbing and display device 100,a harsh environment rated electronic or digital display assembly 50 isutilized. As shown in FIG. 1, digital display assembly 50 is mountedwithin housing 30 and is either mounted on or forms the top cover of theurinal cake holder 12. Such mounting can be accomplished by any meansknown to those skilled in the art. Housing 30 preferably includes aclear, water-resistant cover 4. A digital message 2 is generated withindisplay assembly 50. As used herein, water resistant includes waterproof covers as well.

A side section view of one embodiment of the present inventions, asindicated by section line 60 in FIG. 1, is shown in FIG. 2. Housing 30,which encloses cake 14, has a perimeter ledge that sits on the topperimeter of housing 12. The water-resistant properties of cover 4 areaided, in one embodiment, by the inclusion of gasket 3. Within housing30 is an electronic display 2. This display can be an LCD type displaywhich uses very little electrical energy, or it can be another standarddisplay technology, including but not limited to a electro-phoretic orLED display. Rechargeable battery 10 supplies energy to the electroniccircuit 8 and display 2. This alphanumeric, electronic, video or digitaldisplay 2 is preferably a low powered type display that is preferablypowered by a long life battery, such as a lithium icon battery, forexample, or similar means. The alphanumeric, electronic, digital orvideo display 2 can also be powered by any other means known to thoseskilled in the art.

In one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2, metalcontacts 20 and 22 can be molded into the housing 30 bottom, which allowa person to remove the electronic display assembly 50 and to place it ina recharging stand. Future advances in electronic technology may allowfuture versions of the combination odor absorber and display device 100to be charged remotely thereby eliminating the need for metal chargingcontacts 20 and 22. Additionally, improvements in battery design mayallow the device 100 to be run for years on a battery that does notrequire recharging.

The alphanumeric, electronic, video or digital display 50 is linked toat least one antenna 24 or integrated receiver (see FIG. 2) located onthe odor absorbing and display device 100. Optionally, the odorabsorbing and display device 100 can have two antennas; one antenna forreceiving an RDS transmission and one antenna for receiving WI-FItransmission. These antennas can be either external or internal to theodor absorber and display device 100. Both antennas communicate data tothe alphanumeric, electronic, video or digital display 50 display,allowing it to provide a plurality of messages to the urinal's user.More specifically, in one embodiment of the present invention, antenna24 is capable of receiving radio frequency signals or other wirelesssignals that are processed by a microprocessor within electronicassembly 8 and sent to display module 4. In this way, a message ordigital image can be generated and seen by a person who is using theurinal containing the present invention 100. The odor absorbing anddisplay device 100 can use either WI-FI transmission or RDS transmissionor preferably both WI-FI and RDS transmission. Any other means of datatransmission known to those skilled in the art can also optionally beused.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of the signal generation that is sentto the present invention. Antennas 140 and 180 deliver data to thedisplay 50. The device 100 can receive transmissions 140 from an RFtransmitter 222 or transmissions 180 from a Radio Data System (RDS) 44.Any other standard means of data transmission can also be used. Theinformation or data provided to the alphaneumeric, electronic, video ordigital display in the present invention is preferably but not limitedto real-time. By way of further example, but not limitation, the presentinvention can include a Wi-Fi access point 101 that receives data 220from the Internet 66, which, in turn, receives data 240 via a back endapplication server 80. The Wi-Fi antenna 26 can then transmit 300 datato the display 50. The back end applications server 80 can utilize avariety of languages to accomplish the task of serving up informationincluding: Xtensible Markup Language (XML), Really Simple Syndication(RSS) or Hypertext Pre Processor (PHP). Other languages known to thoseskilled in the art can also be used and are within the scope of thisinvention.

If RDS transmission is used, the system includes an RDS transceiver 44which has an antenna 26 for receiving and transmitting information. TheRDS transceiver 44 receives its information 160 from an RF transmitter222 which provides it with RDS data. It then transmits this data to theRDS antenna 24 within the electronic housing 30. The data is thendisplayed to a person using a urinal containing the present invention100. In this way the present invention 100 can display messages or othergraphics which can be seen by a person while he is urinating. Themessages can be changed wirelessly and the entire display electronicdisplay housing can be removed and recharged periodically.

While the invention has been described in connection with a variousembodiments, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention tothe particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended tocover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may beincluded within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by theappended claims.

1. A combination odor absorber and display device comprising: an odorabsorbent cake; an odor absorbent cake retaining assembly; a portablepower source; and an odor absorbent cake retainer cover having anelectronic display integrated therein.
 2. The combination odor absorberand display device of claim 1, wherein said electronic display isenclosed in a water resistant enclosure.
 3. The combination odorabsorber and display device of claim 1, wherein said electronic displayis selected from the group consisting of a low power consumption LCDdisplay, an electro-phoretic display, an LED display, and combinationsthereof.
 4. The combination odor absorber and display device of claim 1,further comprising electronic receiving elements that allow said displayto receive updated display information wirelessly.
 5. The combinationodor absorber and display device of claim 1, wherein said electronicdisplay can display one of alphanumeric, digital or video images.
 6. Thecombination odor absorber and display device of claim 1, wherein saidpower source is selected from the group consisting of a rechargeablebattery and a lithium ion battery.
 7. The combination odor absorber anddisplay device of claim 1, wherein said electronic display is removeablefrom said odor absorbent cake retainer cover for recharging, cleaning orreplacing.
 8. A combination odor absorber and display device comprising:an odor absorbent cake retaining assembly; a portable power source; andan odor absorbent cake retainer cover having an electronic displayintegrated therein, wherein said electronic display is enclosed in awater resistant enclosure.
 9. The combination odor absorber and displaydevice of claim 8, wherein said electronic display is selected from thegroup consisting of a low power consumption LD display, anelectro-phoretic display, an LED display, and combinations thereof. 10.The combination odor absorber and display device of claim 8, furthercomprising electronic receiving elements that allow said display toreceive updated display information wirelessly.
 11. The combination odorabsorber and display device of claim 8, wherein said electronic displaycan display one of alphanumeric, digital or video images.
 12. Thecombination odor absorber and display device of claim 8, wherein saidpower source is selected from the group consisting of a rechargeablebattery and a lithium ion battery,
 13. The combination odor absorber anddisplay device of claim 8, wherein said electronic display is removeablefrom said odor absorbent cake retainer cover for recharging, cleaning orreplacing.
 14. A combination odor absorber and display devicecomprising: an odor absorbent cake retaining assembly; a portable powersource; and an odor absorbent cake retainer cover having a removeableelectronic display integrated therein, wherein said electronic displaycan display one of alphanumeric, digital or video images.
 15. Thecombination odor absorber and display device of claim 14, wherein saidelectronic display is enclosed in a water resistant enclosure.
 16. Thecombination odor absorber and display device of claim 14, wherein saidelectronic display is selected from the group consisting of a low powerconsumption LCD display, an electro-phoretic display, an LED display,and combinations thereof.
 17. The combination odor absorber and displaydevice of claim 14, further comprising electronic receiving elementsthat allow said display to receive updated display informationwirelessly.
 18. The combination odor absorber and display device ofclaim 14, wherein said power source is selected from the groupconsisting of a rechargeable battery and a lithium ion battery.